Tool lets you remove Google Play dependency from Android apps

Until Project Astoria gets official the only way to get Android apps on Windows 10 Mobile is via side-loading, and those APKs often do not work due to dependency on Google Play services.

Blackberry users of course have long had this issue, which is why they have a tool available which strips away this problem.

GMaps Patcher does not necessarily replace the missing Google Play functionality, like Microsoft’s eventual solutions will, but it does remove the checks which stops the app from launching in the first instance, which means much of the functionality of the app will still be available, vs none at all.

The tool also lets you download free apps directly from the Google Play store, which should assuage some concerns about security and privacy, and in the thread at Crackberry.com they also provide information on purchasing and then downloading APKs from the Google Play store, which should again help concerned about piracy.